Bittersweet
by Not Very Cool
Summary: Instead of being found by Jake's parents, baby Finn is found by a queen. What exactly will change for Finn? And what exactly will Finn's relationship with his "sister" be like? Most importantly though, will they let him live a little, and have fun? This story will have all the wonderful things we all know and love! What will Finn the human turn out like in this strange reality?
1. Fearing Failure

A series (probably going to be pretty short), and probably going to be cuter (and serious, somehow) more than anything else that could be used to describe it.

Instead of being found by two dogs, Finn's found by an honest to goodness queen, how will his life be different with a different "sibling"?

Some hints at a few pairings in the story, eventually. A few means about two, and probably a side one.

Finn's probably a bit smarter at his current age in the story (16) too, a bit more sheltered too (and possibly more rebellious?).

Probably going to be a pretty short prequel story to this as well.

* * *

"Bonnie, stop it!" I say to my sister as she tickles me in all my ticklish spots. It wasn't fair that I was ticklish and she wasn't. "I can't breath-hehe."

"You can't tell your big sis that you have a crush and expect her not to wonder who. Is it Broom Princess." She begins to list names of princess that had been to the kingdom in the bast few weeks. I suppose she thought that it had to be within these walls. I always did wonder why she kept me trapped here. A bit too overprotective.

"Yes, she swept me off my feet."

"Ice Cream Princess?"

"She's not a princess. At least not one of any kingdom that you've ever talked about." I manage to shake her off of me. Catching my breath, I see that she has a rather large grin on her face.

"What?"

"You're crushing on a commoner Finn, imagine the outrage there would be over a prince dating somebody with no royalty." Oh, right. Royal laws that have been in place for forever and never made sense.

"Didn't you date Cream Puff?" I ask, wondering about her most recent boyfriend.

"He was a duke, silly. For all we know, you may be crushing on somebody who's homeless." Darn, she has me there. She's too knowledgeable about all these specific laws.

"Well still, wont love come first, Bonnie? Mom always talked about how princesses and princes always found the person they loved, and it never mattered who they were, as long as they were meant for each other." I sigh, mom was always a bit of a rebel when it came to the rules. Nothing like Bonnie.

"Finn, it's not as simple as fairy tales, sometimes we have to sacrifice happiness for the good of the kingdom as a whole." Bonnie says with a sigh of her own. "You're just too young to understand that I suppose."

"Why does it matter who I date anyway, you're the older one, you're going to be queen eventually. I'm just going to be a footnote in the history books of the Candy Kingdom." I shrug, I suppose there was a possibility of that crazy Ice King doing something, but we had defenses against him. Bonnie always was the one that wanted kids anyway. Granted, sometimes she thought science was the other half of the solution of how to get them, but still.

"Finn, I can't change rules, only suggest that they be struck from the books. Sorry. So anyway, what did she look like?" She tries to get my thoughts off mother and the laws, and subconsciously, I thank her.

"Well her skins kind of blue, and she has black hair, that's pretty much all I can say. Besides the fact she was playing music to herself. So yeah, I don't know. And anyway, I said she had a nice voice, I didn't say anything about having a 'crush'." Sometimes Bonnie just tried to make me feel awkward, and usually it worked. I'm becoming less awkward, or she's losing her touch.

"Because everybody says 'You have a nice voice' Finn. You got me there." She laughs and stands up. "I suppose you wont tell me who she is. You're a party pooper sometimes. Heck, I wouldn't doubt it if you were making it up."

"That's pretty much all I know, my fair princess." I stand up as well. "If you let me go outside, I'd find her. Eventually, and then we'd know whether or not she's a commoner, and whether or not the laws would approve. If she even cared, meh." Now was as good of a chance as any to try to get outside, like seriously outside, the visible boundaries of the kingdom.

"I suppose that you'll have to eventually. I'm sending the best guard around with you around. I'd rather not have you abducted by a band of kidnappers, being royalty and all. I don't feel like paying a ransom. Again." One incident and apparently I'm not trustworthy anymore.

* * *

"So you're my guard? A dog?" I look at the small yellow dog as we exit the gates.

"A magical dog. That can stretch, man. I don't see what superpowers you have." Oh great, another person who's going to make fun of my lack of powers. I'm lucky enough that Bonnie let me learn how to use a fork, let alone a sword.

"What's your name?"

"Jake the dog. Jake for short. Adventurer and guardian." I suppose Bonnie chose him to try to get my 'adventurer' mindset out of my mind. Being a prince didn't really strike me as fun. "Yours?"

"Finn, prince of the Candy Kingdom, second in line to the throne." I try my best at a regal tone of voice, but at the end, I've almost started laughing. Being serious wasn't my thing.

"You don't look like you're made out of candy." Jake says, and I suppose besides who was I, was the first question that I'm usually asked.

"I was found in the forest. I'm adopted. Probably quite a few people that are mad I'm second in line, or in line period. Even more that probably want to get some ransom money. Most of all, I'm human." Whether or not that was a big deal all around Ooo, or just the Candy Kingdom, I have no clue. It's a uniqueness inside the inner city of the kingdom though.

"Human you don't say? I'm going to bet we run into some gnarly stuff along the way. What exactly are we trying to do, my majesty?"

"Try to find this girl, and prove to Bonnie that I'm not insane." I answer, and he grins.

"Trying to find a lady friend? Is she cute?" He asks.

"From all that I've seen of her. It's her voice that matters more. She's been around here at least a few times before, in the night. Her voice... It's nice." I shrug, I suppose that sounded weird, but the voice. I've heard it before recently. I guess I just didn't want to talk to Bonnie about it before I saw the girl's face... or anything at all.

I guess I'm weird.

"You're crazy man. She could be something weird, like a werewolf or somethin'. She might just rip your arms off and smack you with them."

"That's a possibility yes. But... Jake, I have to find her. I can't explain it. The voice is familiar for some reason."

"Whatever you say, your majesty, let's get going." Jake says, growing to a rather large size and pulling me up onto his back

"You're a peculiar dog, aren't you?"

"Yep."

* * *

"So Finn, how's being a prince? Is it as awesome as I'd imagine?" Jake asks after a long period of silence. We had left the boundaries of the Candy Kingdom and had stopped at what Jake had said was his house, and darkness was falling upon us.

"It's good I suppose. It's just not what I'd imagine myself doing all my life, you know?" I ask, although I doubt he would feel the same. I'm usually the only one who would rather trade in a life of fame in exchange for some fun eventually.

"Not really dude, but you probably have a reason to feel that way." Jake sits down and yawns. "Sorry man, Princess Bubblegum called me at one of the worst times. I was at a pretty wild party last night, haven't slept since then, you ever go to parties?"

"Nothing that could be remotely considered wild, no."

"You got some poor luck dude then, you haven't lived until you've experienced the parties this bear guy throws. They're totally Mathematical!"

"Mathematical? I don't see what Math has to do with something being interesting." I better get used to this slang though, probably would be easier than trying to decode what the common people were saying.

"No man, Mathematical, it sounds cool. Jeez, do you ever have fun?"

"Apparently not. Sorry." I frown. What Jake was describing, aside from being kind of stupid, sounded fun. Funner than tagging along with Bonnie on official business at the least.

"Don't be. Princess Bubblegum probably has a reason to keep you inside all the time... Besides the fact that you have no powers... And are probably the most profitable person that anybody could kidnap... And-"

"Thank you Jake. She means well, but at least she could ask me for my opinion on the matter, I'm nearly an adult, I should be able to make some of my own decisions in certain cases."

"Didn't say you shouldn't, sir. Just saying that you should just be glad she's letting you try to find the needle in the haystack." Jake stretches and lays down on his couch, falling asleep almost instantly.

"Best that she could find? I'd hate to see the worst guard she could find." I mumble to myself. As I sit down next to Jake, I hear a noise. Great. "Halt, who goes there?"

"Hey, you're in my house, I might as well ask you the same question." That voice. It was THE voice.

"Y-your house? Jake said it was his." I look around, no matter who it was, I wanted to know where the voice was coming from.

"He probably thought it was too. Haven't been here in a few decades. Doesn't mean it's not mine. It has an M, for Marceline."

"Your name's Marceline? And decades?" That was strange, she sound young. This couldn't be the same girl. She looked Bonnie's age, not sixty.

"Yeah. What's yours, and why are you dressed up like a fool? You going to some fair?" Okay this was creepy, how did she know what I looked like, I couldn't even see her!

"No... I'm Prince Finn. Of the Candy Kingdom." I shake the fear in my voice, trying to sound confident... but failing miserably. "Marceline, who are you? And why do you sound like that girl that sang all those times outside the kingdom?"

"Probably me." She suddenly appears in front of me, upside down, with a grin. "I suppose I had an audience after all. Did your majesty like my music?" She giggles, and smiles wider as she floats backwards and flips right side up.

"Y-yeah." I blush. Now that I was up close, I saw that her looks matched her voice, beauty. Possibly beauty that one wouldn't think of when they first thought of the word beauty, but beauty nonetheless.

"Aww, Prince Finn's blushing. How cute." She stops giggling, and now full blown laughs.

"H-h-hey. Stop that." The red in my face got redder, and now she was howling with laughter. Why didn't Jake wake up?

"Someone's a bit shy." She manages to say between laughs.

"No need to be so mean, I was looking for someone with your voice... It's just... so familiar. I thought that before I first heard it. It's beautiful. I guess that just makes me weird." I sigh. I suppose I'll go back to Bonnie and look like a fool. The laughter has stopped though, and as I look up, I can see a faint bit of a blush in her blue skin.

"So Bonnibel, she a cool sis?" Marceline asks suddenly.

"A tad strict ye-, wait, how do you know her name?" I ask. I regret that immediately, seeing as the obvious answer is that she was one of the most important people in Ooo.

"Well, I met her a while back. She was a lil' kid, sorta like you. Less fun to mess with too, she's a bit too serious. No offense."

"None taken. Although I am sixteen. She's only twenty one. How young do I look?" I ask, I might be a tad bit short for my age compared to the rest of the family, but still, I towered over most of the subjects.

"Eh, I don't know, probably about thirteen, no need to get defensive, kid. I just assumed that you were a bit younger than that though, didn't ever see you when I saw Bubblegum."

"Bonnie's always been a bit overprotective I suppose, heh. If anything earlier, I was probably inside. You know, being a toddler and all." I chuckle, and Marceline chuckles for a moment as well.

"So you've never been outside those walls, that's kind of sad to be honest dude."

"Yeah... But really, I guess I haven't missed much." I shrug, Bonnie always made sure I was at least occupied. Maybe I would of turned out a bit dumber if I just ran around all day. I was nowhere near as smart as her though. So I suppose I was just an inferior version of my sister.

"Don't be silly, kid. Live a little. Come on." She floats over to me quickly and grabs my hand, and pulls me out the window, with me dangling below her, nothing protecting me from plummeting to my doom but her hand. "Trust me, you're going to live a little tonight kid. Marceline the Vampire Queen guarantees it."

"If I said I didn't trust you, I'd probably be going splat right now, wouldn't I?" I question her, and she laughs once more.

"Probably. You're a smart kid." She comments, looking down at me with a smile.

"Thanks. Where are we going anyway?"

"You'll find out when we get there." Is all she says as she continues flying.

* * *

"A pub?" I'm amazed as I we land. It's not even a respectable looking one at that. It looked like it hadn't been renovated in a millennium.

"It used to be a bar, yes. It's not anymore. You need to relax. Have fun." She smiles as she opens the door.

Inside is a wide array of instruments, mostly many bass guitars.

"Do you play an instrument Finn? I was fairly sure that Bonnibel played the piano. You don't seem like a piano person though." She says, looking around at the instruments.

"Mom let me pick out my own instruments to play. I picked the drums, and Bonnie hated when I practiced from then on, heh. I suppose I wasn't that good." I look around, and feel relieved to see that there were no drums. I don't trust skills that I hadn't even tried to use in years.

"Well darn. I don't see any drums here... besides these!" She says, pulling away cloth that had covered the only set of drums in the whole place. Can she read my mind?

"Probably." She says into my ear, causing me to jump. "Or I could just read your face when you thought there weren't any here. I like music Finn, that's the thing you should know first about me. And I feel like you'd do fine playing. I'm usually right with my gut feeling too."

"Might as well try, I suppose." I sit down and look at Marceline, who has took a seat on the bar itself.

"Today?"

"Right." I take a deep breath and pick up the pair of wooden drum sticks. "Here it goes."

I begin playing, but from Marceline's look, I'm messing up. As I finish playing, I sigh.

"A bit rusty." I shrug.

"You need to stop thinking about it Finn, just let the music tell you what to do. Don't over think things, kid. But yeah, you might want to practice some more." She laughs and messes with my blonde hair.

"Thanks, oh wise music vampire sage." I kid, laughing as well.

"No problem. I suppose you need to get back to the tree house now. Don't want that dog waking up and thinking you've been abducted." She stands up and then walks over to me, with her hand outstretched.

"Wasn't I?" I ask with a confused look upon my face. She giggles and shrugs.

"You could have left any time you want, kid." Is her response.

"Well Marceline, at least mind coming around and teaching me a bit?" I ask, Glob, I must sound stupid.

"Eh, you're pretty cool. Sure, but let's go for real. The longer we stay here, the more and more I want to just turn you into a minion."

"You could try. I might be royalty, but I'd be a royal pain to try to beat." I take her hand though as we leave the pub.

"You're too trusting kid. I could turn you into a vampire right now if I wanted to."

"But that's it, you don't want to. Must be because I'm Prince Charming, right?" I look up, and she's holding in laughter.

"Of course. Life's a fairy tale kid, wake me up from my eternal sleep and that junk."

"I'd have to kiss you then."

"Fat chance kid."

"You'll fall for my charm eventually. Everybody does." I smile up to her.

"Who's everybody?" She asks, pretending to honestly care about the answer.

"Nobody." She laughs rather hard, and almost drops me.

"Watch it. I kind of like the thought of not having my legs explode upon hitting the ground."

"What's a little bit of pain for some fun, kid?" She asks, as we finally arrive back at the tree house. "See ya around." She waves as she flies back out of the window.

"See ya." I wave back. She was strange. A good strange.

Between her and Jake, I wonder why Bonnie didn't let me make friends outside the Candy Kingdom.

I suppose I'd have to ask her that eventually.

* * *

There's the first chapter, hoped you enjoy. Bubblegum will be a tad bit more protective of Finn than one would think she is, but that will all be explained eventually.

If you felt that the romance/"playful" banter is going a tad bit too quickly, let me know.

Anybody who has any artistic ability, shoot me a pm. I'd really feel like adding pictures for my stories, I just don't feel right using pictures not meant for them. Heh.


	2. Fearing Faith

Instead of being found by two dogs, Finn's found by an honest to goodness queen, how will his life change with a different "sibling"?

Thanks to all those who read the first chapter! I suppose I didn't see the grammar button checker at the top of the Fan Fiction thingie. I suppose that would have helped made the last chapter make more sense. Might go back and comb over it eventually. Hopefully this chapter is better grammatically at least.

I suppose I should mention that some of the important topics in real Adventure Time will be dealt with here, most probably differently, but still.

Here's the second chapter. And here's to the hope that I don't spiral into naming chapters after songs and then using said lyrics in the chapter! *drinks*

-What Makes You Beautiful-

I kid, I kid.

* * *

"So Finn. How was the quest for the girl with the 'voice'?" Bonnie asks as Jake and I arrive back inside the gates.

"It went perfectly Bonnie." The look on her face was hilarious. Probably really did think I was making her up. "Unfortunately, the 'best' guard that you could find was asleep. So no other eyewitnesses."

"So she doesn't exist."

"I assume that you'll think that unless I physically bring her back?" I ask her. She shakes her head. I guess being too scientific makes you do that.

"Well until then, it's just my little brother seeing things. I shouldn't believe anything that only one person has seen or thought they saw."

"Have a little faith sis." Really, her lack of belief about almost anything without proof was kind of stupid. Some things can't be explained.

"Faith? We've had talks about this already, faith is for something that's unlikely, but possible. All the evidence you've presented me suggests something more towards the belief that you're insane in the membrane."

"I can't wait for a moment when you're in my shoes and I say the same thing."

"How was Finn on the trip Jake? I hope he didn't make you think we were all loopy here in the Candy Kingdom." She turns away from me and looks at the dog.

"He was cool, Princess Bubblegum. Wouldn't mind hangi- guarding him again. If my services are ever required."

"That's good to hear, I suppose that you've finished your services. You are free to go." She watches Jake bow and then show himself out. "Even if you weren't delusional, you could have just had a dream."

"We'll see sis, we'll see. Anything you want me to do? Some special appearance for the people?"

"You're not just a prince Finn, you can have fun. The people don't need to see either of us _every_ day. We're allowed the day off. Even if we weren't, I wouldn't want you speaking any more nonsense."

"I suppose I should be glad there aren't any mental facilities inside the candy kingdom. You'd have had me locked up by now." I mockingly pout. "I'm not psycho. I'm just not as mechanic as you are sis."

"Mechanic or efficient, really depends on your point of view brother. If it came to saving the kingdom, I'd sacrifice myself to the greater good."

"You keep saying who needs faith in things we can't prove, yet you sound a good deal like someone who would. If it came down to it sis, I'd really suppose it came down to how much it mattered. And greater good? If you really want me running this place sis, that's the greater good. Although if you did, I'd want to put _you_ into the figurative mental facility."

"You act like you would be a terrible leader Finn, you'd be a strange change of pace, but eventually you'd see the light. You'd put personal matters aside to be the leader the Candy Kingdom needs. You're a good person. Not a wacko."

"Yet I'm delusional?" Eh, not like this conversation would really lead anywhere that it hadn't before, but before Bonnie can even answer, I walk away.

* * *

What was I supposed to do on a day off from the drab that was kissing babies and giving speeches. Good publicity apparently meant bored participation.

Jake had left, and Marceline probably wouldn't show up in the day. I doubt that she'd show up in the kingdom at night either. In all likely hood, my refresher lessons would be outside the kingdom.

So again, what was I supposed to do on my day off?

Studying for classes at Candy Kingdom University? Already far enough ahead that it didn't matter. Being a prince probably helped, getting my assignments early and all. Being productive and at least reasonably intelligent solved the matter of actually doing my work.

I could try to sneak off I suppose. But I would just be walking around outside with nothing to do.

If only this was like a novel about a hero. This would be right about when the villain appeared to annoy said hero.

"Hey, guess who finally got through those pesky piranha pits? Me. The Ice King!" Oh god. Not this old fool. I meant a villain, not a comedy character! "Hey, you're Bubblegum's brother, right kid?"

"Yeah... I'd really want to know what's happening to her security systems. You're here to attempt to steal her, aren't you?" I search myself for some weapon. None. If this guy was a real threat, I'd be cursing at myself for my stupidity.

"Not at all, Prince Bubblegum."

"Really?" That's surprising.

"I wont attempt, I'll succeed!" He places his fists on his fists and smiles. "I don't fail at my plans."

"What's this plan's number? Two hundred and forty?"

"Hey, I'm only on Two hundred and twenty-six! And where's Bubblegum?" Wow. Is his brain frozen?

"Yes I wonder where the Princess is."

"So I'm not the only one who doesn't know where she is? What a relief." I begin palming my forehead repeatedly.

"Are you done being an idiot?" I ask, pulling out my cellphone, ready to call Bonnie.

"Yep!" He shoots the cellphone out of my hand with an ice beam.

"Today isn't boring anymore. It's annoying. Trying to stop you myself with any weapon wont be in my best interests in keeping my body from being completely frozen. I wish that Bonnie has the resources to deal with you. She's at the castle you deranged fool. You know, a castle. Like the kind I assume a KING like YOU would live in?"

"A castle? Of course. I totally figured that out myself."

I really hope that Bonnie throws this guy into a cell.

There was no way that this guy would be getting out of the kingdom.

* * *

"Oh come on!" I scream out after running into the castle a few minutes after the Ice King, seeing him fly out of a window, with Bonnie over his shoulder.

"Help Finn!" She yells out.

"Come on, I don't want to spend another twenty seconds with the guy!" I respond.

"But thou must!" Her voice is fading, I can't make out much of anything else she was screaming.

"Incompetence breeds heroes." I mutter, grabbing my sword from my room before heading out. I need Jake, he can help me get there faster.

I run out of the castle and head for the gates.

* * *

"J-Jake. I need help man. Ic-Ice King took Bonnie." I pant as Jake opens the door, why did his house have to be so far away?

"Yay!" The dog jumped up with joy. Joy that I was not seeing the point of. "I mean, I thought you were going to lead me to more adventure man. The Ice King's a loon, he'll be easy to take down."

"So... let's go?" This was awkward.

"Sure." Jake leaps over me and transforms mid-air into a giant dog. I hop on and we begin our trek to the Ice Kingdom.

* * *

"But Bubblegum, don't you like my awesome music playing skills? My ice dining hall? My penguins?" I sneak an eye through the window, and there's the Ice King, with a penguin in his arms.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't like the fact that I'm in a flipping cell!"

"But that's meant to symbolize how your true emotions are trapped behind this persona you put on princess. You and I are alone now!" He throws the penguin over his shoulder and smiles.

"Jake, I think that's our cue." I whisper, and he nods. We both leap into the room.

"You, Bubblegum's brother! Did you come here to celebrate the love between the two of us?" He asks.

"You had a fun time, I presume?" I ignore the number one contender for worst villain of the year, and look at my sister.

"You could have gotten here faster."

"Sorry I don't have superhuman speed."

"Enough chitter-chatter." The Ice King once more shoots an ice beam at me, I block it with my sword, and it ricochets and hits one of the penguins. "Hey, you froze my penguin!"

"I... I don't want to even argue with you. I feel my brain cells dying now man." Another beam is blocked, as Jake sneaks behind him. "And I suppose you thought I was going to beat you by force. I haven't even attacked and you've lost. I could have probably got rid of you back in the Candy Kingdom with a stone and some floss."

"I've lost? You're crazy!" He says, before Jake stretches and wraps around him, defeating any threat he posed. "Oh."

"That was what, twenty seconds of action Bonnie? I'm kind of ashamed of the fact you got kidnapped so easily." I walk up to Jake, and motion at him to lift a finger slightly. "Also, don't flaunt where you keep your keys man. I've seen those old movie character villains, and their more competent than you! I really hope you're the worst person in Ooo. If so, we have nothing to worry about."

"Gosh, harsh much?" He comments upon my observations as I unlock the cell door and Bonnie steps out.

"I like heroes man, not just those who defeat evil at every corner. Heroes that fight battles against others. I have a grasp upon strategy. What was your strategy, really?"

"So Finn, what should we do with him?" Jake asks. I point towards the cell.

"I suppose it will take him a few hours at the least to get one of the penguins to get him out. I say just lock him up in there."

"I wont forgive you for ruining our love! I'll get you, Bubblegum's brother!"

"Sure ya' will Ice King. Sure ya' will"

* * *

"So Finn, you did good today. Sure it's only... the Ice King, but you did good." Bonnie remarks as we ride back to the Candy Kingdom on Jake's back.

"Like I told the Ice King, I just used strategy. He was mad that I wasn't responding to him, so he attacked me. Jake sneaking behind him was the plan all along. In a battle against a kidnapper, I'm going to try to employ strategy, not go in idiotically, swords swinging. Boring, but practical."

"Well, I suppose that today you proved that you can handle yourself. I suppose I can trust you to go out of the kingdom now."

"I'd like to think so." I say in a murmur. "There's going to be a catch though. Isn't there?"

"Yes, you can only leave with Jake." She adds her condition on to my 'reward'.

"Because I'll get kidnapped."

"Strategy or not Finn, you're just one person. and not all bad guys are like the Ice King. Some are a little more..." She trails off.

"Competent? Adult? Smart?" I list off things that I doubt that the Ice King would ever have.

"The first one." She sighs. "I guess I've told myself you're still that little toddler you used to be when I was a kid. I just don't you to hurt yourself."

"Thanks sis." Even changing her opinion this slightly is probably extremely difficult for her.

"No problem Finn, just don't do anything stupid."

"I'll try to avoid stupidity Bonnie. Whether the wave of dumbness envelops me will have to be seen."

"Fancy words don't equal smartness Finn." She says, glancing back at me. "Anyway, you know what I mean."

"Got it, don't do anything that you wouldn't do. Stay with Jake all the time when I leave the kingdom." I wonder if she will mind if I slightly use her wording to my advantage.

Probably not.

* * *

"Hey kid." Marceline grins as Jake and I arrive back at his home, I had argued that I should spend a night at Jake's house to learn the basics of the trade of being a hero from one of its biggest fans, a crash course you could say. "I was wondering how you were going to get out exactly. Didn't expect you to show up the night after meeting one of the strongest and chaotic being of this realm."

"Guess I'm just weird. I'm wondering how you knew I was going to be here."

"You weren't making the bit up about a v-vampire?" Jake's whimpering, hiding behind me.

"Why would I lie when it makes me look crazy?" I wait for Jake to give me an answer, but he continues to cower. "She's not dangerous. Well, I suppose the correct term would be non-hostile."

Jake relaxes takes a breath and tries to calm down.

"So you not going to squeal dog?" Marceline asks, looking at Jake with a rather malicious grin. "I'd doubt the Candy Prince should be seen with somebody as... 'dark' as myself."

"I-I" Jake looks towards me and appears to be wanting me to answer for him.

"Do what you feel you should Jake. I'd think that Bonnie would keep me from being a hero if you did." I decide to not answer for him though, at least not directly. Jake was a likable person, and I'd have to believe that he felt the same towards me. Given enough time we could probably become friends. "Let that be clear too though, I do want to help people need help, but I also want to relearn the drums. Marceline's a musician, not a monster."

"You play the drums? I play the viola!" Jake raises his hand for a high-five, which I give him. "I can trust you,you're a fellow hero..." He trails off, going from looking at me to Marceline, which makes him gulp once more. "I can trust whoever you trust. I wont tell."

"Thanks for not being a buzz kill dog. So Finn, you ready to practice?"

"I'm still wondering how you knew I was coming here." I say, as she just chuckles.

"Does it even really matter? I could have hidden near here to avoid the sun when I saw you get Jake to go to the Ice Kingdom. Maybe I thought that you'd be back for a third time? Could also be that it's the only place outside the kingdom that I've known you've been?"

"Good enough of an answer for me." I shrug.

"Eh, you can come along too, dog. If only to make sure you don't go back on your word." Marceline grabs my hand again, and for a slight moment, I feel a strange feeling. Whatever, it looks like Jake's going to have to run behind us though, as she begins to fly off the second my hand is in her grip.

* * *

"So Finn. I think you're fairly decent enough as is. Practice often. Pretty much do what you did with your... mom." Marceline pauses, and her emphasis on the word mom's kind of strange... "Just listen to some different bands, and use what interests you and make your own style. Figuring out your own way to play is the way to go. No reason to play like everybody else. You get all that."

"I believe so. So why exactly did you agree to teaching me when you say I don't need much teaching?"

"You seemed like you had a boring life kid. Felt like you'd be thankful if you got out and did something exciting. Rock out, y'know?" Marceline picks up her axe-bass and continues. "You have what looks like talent too, Finn. You could probably get into a band eventually, maybe even become a rockstar. I happen to be in one now. Always wanted a side project though, I suppose. Branch out into a different genre, that kind of thing. If you ever do get good enough, that is."

"Sounds cool."

"I could be the jerk of the band." Jake appears giddy at the prospect of being in a band. He's easily excitable it appears.

"I don't think a good deal of music genres need the vio..." I begin, but Marceline cuts me off.

"No, but to be truthful, they usually do have one member who acts like an idiot, to stay relevant between albums. If we ever resort to it, I'd think Jake would fit the bill best. Of all these theoretical bandmates."

"I think we're moving this too fast. What's next, a name for this theoretical band? That leaves a rather bittersweet taste in my mouth." I sigh, it looks almost like Jake and Marceline are considering names before they both say...

"That's it! Bittersweet."

"Oh Glob. Thank goodness I didn't ask for names of my future kids. You two are crazy." The idea is rather interesting, but I'm nowhere near good enough at the drums. Marceline's vagueness didn't help.

"It's a pun though Finn, you're the prince of the Candy Kingdom, which is sweet!" Jake word for word explains the name to me.

"If there was anybody who felt the need for lame puns like that, they deserve to be institutionalized." I rub the bridge of my nose.

"Come on kid, it's not that terrible of a name." Marceline floats towards me. "Come on Finn, in the theoretical scenario that the theoretical band got together, would you be theoretically in?"

"Theoretically... Fine." I mumble after looking at her and Jake, both having puppy dog eyes.

"Yay Finn!" They lunge at me, causing a group hug. I blush.

"Okay guys. Theoretically, I think Bonnie would be mad if she found out I was in a hypothetical band." I manage to pry the two from me.

"And?" Marceline asks, not seeing the problem.

"I kind of think she'd stop letting me out of the kingdom if I disobey her orders." I suppose this wouldn't be direct violation, but the loophole abuse would likely be enough for Bonnie.

"You wouldn't man, you're with me, her exact words were you could go anywhere as long as it was with me." Jake says grinning widely. Marceline does as well.

"Weren't you deathly afraid of Marceline not thirty minutes ago Jake?" I avoid responding to Jake, which makes the pair's grins to widen even more.

"Hey, I'm the jerk of the band, we ain't afraid of nobody!" He finally says, to which Marceline nods her head in agreement.

"This wont end well in any possible scenario." I mutter as I give up. "Yay Bittersweet." I half-heartedly say as the dog and vampire high-five. "I don't even know why."

"Because we're your friends?" Jake asks. "And friends do stupid stuff together!"

Stupid stuff... Took less than a day to betray that part of the promise at least to Bonnie.

* * *

No. Finn is not meant to be god mode here, he employed an attack from behind strategy. A change of pace from 'attack stuff rather haphazardly at first, figure out plans later' Finn.

Yay, one of the reasons this story is titled has been revealed. And as everybody and their grandma has said in this chapter, the band is purely theoretical/hypothetical at this point. Eventually it will take shape.

So this chapter, Ice King was introduced and this Jake and this Marceline became rather quick friends due to a shared love of music. What else will I change? Find out next time!


	3. Fearing Fondness

If you still need to be reminded what the basis of this story is, see a previous chapter.

Thanks for reading though!

Jake gets more (slightly) spotlight this chapter! And another character's introduction into this alternate universe!

And an OC who might be slightly relevant to the plot later on! Slightly. Who's actually not a princess/prince/human!

And other stuff.

I swear, no more character introduction chapters after this, or at least none where the character is part of the main plot. Aside from some obvious exceptions that will be made a good deal later in the story.

Who needs LSP? Pssh.

* * *

It had been a couple of weeks since the rather strange decision to form a band, and the land of Ooo had been uneventful since then. It must be a period of calm to most, but it was a period of boredom to me.

And I have to question Bonnie's logic in deciding I need to hang out with her friend, Lady Rainicorn. Sure, she gets Bonnie to where she wanted to go, and they were friends, but I don't want to hang out with a being that's kind of known to eat humans. Finn Kebab doesn't really seem like a good meal.

Have to at least have some friends that Bonnie has made, and I really, really, don't want to hang out with 'LSP'. The language barrier doesn't help the matter, though.

"So Lady... how's it going?" I ask, sitting down next to the rainbow unicorn. She responds, but I have no clue about what she's saying, I suppose she said she was good, and asks me how I'm doing.

"If I understand you correctly, I'm doing good too?" She nods her head, so it seems that I was correct, but this was going to be an awkward day. That is until Jake walks up to us upon entering the kingdom.

"Hey Finn, who's the fine lady?" He asks, pointing towards Lady, who blushes.

"Lady. Lady Rainicorn. She's Bonnie's friend, and pretty much does the same thing as you do, transport things quickly. She can fly though. I can't understand anything she says though. I suppose I never had a reason to learn Korean." I sigh. "Which is kind of an annoyance, seeing as I have no flipping clue what she's saying. And Lady, this is Jake, he's my bodyguard/friend/theoretical bandmate."

"Korean! What a coincidence, I happen to be fluent in the language!" Jake poked his chest with his thumb, grinning. "Come on Lady, say anything you'd want Finn to hear."

Whatever she said, it made Jake chuckle.

"What?" I question.

"It's nothing, she's just saying that you're a bit of a downer. It's kind of true bro, you're always moping about how life is boring. She says that you should try to make it exciting."

"Thanks Lady." I tell her, and this causes the two of them to laugh even greater. "So you want to hang out with us today Jake? I'd leave the two of you to your own business, but the princess's orders."

"Sure Finn." Jake smiles, and I suppose I get to be the third wheel in this. Whether or not that's better than having to spend a day with someone you can't talk to will remain to be seen. Lady apparently agrees as well too, and the three of us decide to go to some lake that Jake says will be fun.

* * *

As Jake and Lady are talking on the other side the pond, I dangle my legs from a log that's above a rather thin section of the pond. I suppose the nature outside is a better change of pace than the urban kingdom.

"Aww man, it's clouding up. That's unfortunate." I say out loud, for no real reason.

"For you maybe, means I don't need this now." Marceline walks out of the woods on the right side of the pond, and squats down on the log next to me, taking off a rather large hat, and some gloves.

"Sorry that I don't particularly know about the plight of the vampire. Forgive me Marcie." I look at her and smile. "I'm just a sheltered boy! You're the wise one of the two of us!" As I laugh my behind off, I'm not aware when she shoves me off the log and into the water.

"You're one sarcastic son of a bitch, you know that Finn?" She looks down at me from the log, with a smirk on her face.

I take advantage of the fact that she puts her guard down and pull her off the log and into the water as well.

"Seems to be my defining trait, Marcie." I say as she shoves me, although still smirking. "That and just being a plain old s.o.b., sarcasm or not."

"Whatever. That was rude to pull a lady into the water. What if I develop pneumonia or something?" She splashes me with some water.

"Do vampires even get sick?" I ask, and she shakes her head.

"I _could_ of gotten sick though Finn." She pouts and pokes me. "I thought heroes were supposed to protect damsels in distress."

"I'm a complex guy Marcie, an enigma wrapped in a riddle." I splash some water at her and chuckle.

"Complex? You're the equivalent to a home schooled kid who finally went to a real school. What, are you going to tell me how hard it is to be the prince of the strongest kingdom in Ooo? I'm sorry that I forgot to bring my violin to play sappy sad music." She decides to get out of the pond now, and as she floats out of the water, she offers a hand, which I deny. I suppose the water isn't that cold.

"You're so mean Marcie." I say, swimming around in a circle as Marceline laughs.

"We'd both make terrible friends to anybody normal, Finn." She states with what seems to be a sad smile on her face as she puts her hat back on.

"Normal? There is no such thing as normal Marcie. Everybody's different. If we'd make terrible friends with anybody who cares? I have Jake, I have Bonnie, I suppose Lady, I have..." Why is it so hard to say that Marceline's a friend? "_You._"

I blush and turn away, and from the corner of my eye, I see that the sad smile had disappeared, and was replaced by a blush as well.

"That's all that matters. If everybody else was to hate me, I'd be content with you four." I figure that it's time to get out of the water, and I grab the log and lift myself up.

"Thanks Finn." Marceline whispers, looking at me after I've finally settled myself back the log. She has a rather strange look on her face, and there's still a faint hint of a blush. She leans in towards me, as if to kiss me. I'm going to look like a fool. I probably should of went on a date with one of Bonnie's younger friends. 16 and still hasn't kissed someone. I lean in as well though, and she places a hand on my cheek.

Suddenly the sun shines out from behind the clouds, and it hits Marceline's hand.

"Goddammit, that hurts. Knew I forgot to put something on." She nervously chuckles and puts on her gloves and stands up, rubbing the hand that the sun hit. "I suppose I should get going, see ya kid." She smirks once more and waves at me, before floating into the woods.

"See ya, Marcie." I wave goodbye. I suppose I was spared embarrassment, but I... I feel sad.

I suppose it's time to go back to Jake and Lady.

* * *

Or not.

The two are currently giggling as they speak in Korean, and I don't really want to bother them. I decide to wander off into the open grassland on one corner or the pond.

My life has been going better since Bonnie has granted me a little more freedom, but I wonder if she'll ever let me go around and do things alone. One of the rather bleak things about being famous, I suppose.

I doubt that she would want me to do half the things I'm doing now. Wandering around by myself, not really hanging out with the people she wants me to hang out with, and I'd doubt she'd want me to hang out with somebody that she's neglected to mention for a few years.

All for the greater good, she'd say if I told her all the crud I was doing, as she would take away all those rights.

"Hello Finn." A red candy creature who looks vaguely human like, says suddenly, causing me to jump a bit. I swear I didn't see this guy when I last looked up. "My name's Sour Patch Sid. I'm here to offer you a proposition."

I search the backpack that Jake had given me, and find a small dagger, I suppose it will have to do. I pull it out.

"Don't do anything dumb, Sid." I cautiously comment, looking him up and down, while he has a creepy as hell grin on his face.

"If you mean trying to get you kidnapped, I wouldn't have alerted you of my presence if I were here to do that, would I?"

"Probably not." I concede.

"Good, I'm just here to offer a proposition for ya'. Your mum, she was a nice lady. She helped my mum out of some tough spots, they were buds throughout their childhood. Then suddenly, my mum dies, and guess what." His smile is creeping me too much. I kind of wish that I would have stuck around with Jake and Lady.

"What?" I'm intrigued by what he has to say though.

"She took over the kingdom. There wasn't a Candy Kingdom before that Finn. There were two separate kingdoms who were allies! The Sweets Kingdom, and the Sours Kingdom. Your mum ambushed the kingdom while I was mourning my mother. We were quickly defeated." His smile fades, and is now a frown.

"I was a prince, just like you Finn. I'm trying to be your friend here though. I know that you're adopted. Funny thing, that was the message that was supposed to be a bit of a pick-me-up after she died. Not even a day later, her soldiers were knocking down the castle walls." Sid sighed, and rubbed the back of his head. "What I'm trying to get at Finn, don't trust Bubblegum, don't even trust the stuff your mum taught you. At least take their actions into a bit of a second look. You seem like a good kid."

"Why are you telling me this? The books say that Candy Kingdom has been around for a few hundred years at least, and took in surrounding lands by marriage or inheritance." I rub my chin.

"The books? The queen can change the books to say that the sky was mango colored, but does that mean it is?"

"You still haven't told me why you're telling me this. You could be another crazy person trying to get in my head." I'm getting rather annoyed by this Sid guy, he's avoiding saying anything that could explain his motif.

"I suppose it's something of a request for a secret alliance. I don't even want to take over the Candy Kingdom. As long as it treats its citizens with respect, I'm happy. If the princess does anything... morally questionable, give me a call. I'll be right next to you, and I suppose it wont even be about revenge. I just don't trust the Sweets. They act nice, until it's the time to strike." He shrugs, and looks up towards the sky. "No matter what you think kid, you ain't a Sweet. I ain't one either. Only trust yourself. And me, of course."

"So you're saying that if I ever want to overthrow my _sister_, you'll have my back? That _definitely_ doesn't sound like an attempt at a coup." I remark, but I place my dagger back into my backpack. Crazy or whatever, he seems harmless.

"If you say it like that, Finn, it does sound rather sketchy. Here's my number, just in case." He pulls something out of his pocket, a piece of paper. He walks right up to me and whispers into my ear. "Let's pray that you never need to use it, prince."

He hands me the paper and leaves, and there's a phone number on the paper.

Some psychopath that guy is.

And yet, I place the piece of paper into another pocket of my backpack.

* * *

The sun is setting, and it's time to go home. I finally decide to talk to Jake and Lady, and we all begin our way back.

Their pace is rather slow, lagging behind me. I really think Jake's asking Lady out on a date, but I'm just pulling things out of my rear. If they do, I suppose that's a rather happy glimpse of the change of times though. Not very long ago, the dogs and rainicorns had been in a long war over land. At the least, it proved that love could conquer the past.

"Finn. Come here." Marceline's voice calls out, and I see that she's standing atop of a hill.

"The sun's not hurting you?" I ask, and she shakes her head.

"Nah, when the sun's rising or setting, it only tingles a bit." She takes off her gloves once more, and then her hat. She glances at me, and smiles. "Thanks for caring, though."

"Not a pro-"

"No, not just about the sun. Thanks for being, a good friend." She looks down at me slightly, me being a couple of inches shorter, and rubs my hair again. She's blushing once more, and judging how hot my cheeks feel, so am I. We lean in close to one another once more.

This time however, we aren't interrupted, and our lips meet in a rather soft touch. After a few moments, our lips part ways.

"Wow... Marcie." I manage to get out. She begins to giggle uncontrollably. "What?"

"You're look funny with your mouth hanging open..." As the giggles subside, she hugs me. "Thanks for being a friend. I haven't anyone there for me in a long time." She whispers into my ear, and I feel like I'm about to melt.

"N-n-no problem Marcie." I stutter, blushing redder than the sun as it finally sets. Marcie pulls away from me and begins to giggle again.

"You're awkward, kid." She rubs my hair once again. "I'll have to try to get rid of that. Or not, it's cute." And if I thought I couldn't blush any harder than before, I was wrong.

"You're mean." I repeat my earlier statement, which elicits full-blown laughter from Marcie. "Hmph!" I look away from Marceline, and as she wipes a tear of laughter from her eye, she counters with another equally old statement.

"And you're a sarcastic son of a bitch. And I don't think you'd call me mean if I kissed you again." She winks as we finally actually separate.

"I wouldn't, because I wouldn't be able to talk."

"See! You did it again." We both chuckle and walk down the hill, after she had picked up her hat and gloves. "Want to hang out tomorrow Finn?" She asks rather suddenly.

"Theoretically, I'm up to it." I bring up that same overused word from the first 'band' practice. That gets me a punch to the shoulder.

"Theoretically, I should kick your ass, babe." She sticks her tongue out at me, but then gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. And with that, she flies off.

"Babe?" I place my hand on the spot of my cheek that she had kissed, and stare as she disappears from view.

"Hey Finn, guess what!" Jake says as he caught up to me finally, with Lady nowhere in sight.

"I feel like people ask me that way too often, but what?"

"I'm taking Lady out on a date tomorrow!" He looks up at me with his hand raised up high. "She digs the Jakeinator, man! Ladies can't handle big strong heroes." I high-five him.

"Grats dude! I think... I'm going on a date tomorrow too." Somehow, that elicits a gasp from Jake.

"Who is it? Is it Forest Princess? I bet she gives you a nice bit o-" I stop him before he can finish his joke.

"It's Marceline." I finally answer him. He pauses for a moment.

"She still kind of scares me... She turned into some monster thing while you were playing last time and nearly scared the poop out of me!" He raises his hand up before continuing. "But if she makes you happy man, so be it."

I high-five him again and say, "Thanks Jake, you're a true friend. Almost that kind of strange older brother that I always wanted."

"And you're like a kind of serious younger brother I always wanted. I suppose in a different life, we could have been brothers." Jake intelligently states.

"Yeah, but I love having Bonnie as a sister most of the time though man. She's just the completely serious sister that I have though. She loves me, and I do as well." I almost as sensibly add-on.

"So are you going to tell her about Marceline now that the two of you are... an item?" Jake asks, and as we near the gates to the Candy Kingdom, I frown.

"I don't think that she'll be supportive of it initially. I'll try to give her hints, or at least ease her into the thought. Maybe convince her that Marcie is real first, then eventually get her to let me bring her here. If she doesn't, I suppose you could bail me out. It would be like a stealth mission." I say as we stop at the gates.

"Don't worry bro, I got your back. Letting love be kept apart for no reason? That's evil!" He gives me a thumbs up and a wink.

"Appreciate it, bro." I give him a thumbs up as we separate. He begins walking to his home, as I enter the guarded area, with Bonnie waiting for me at the gate, she has a smile on her face.

"How was the day with Lady?" She interrogates me, and I shrug.

"Jake came along, and the two hit it off. Next time you try to get me to make friends, make sure I can understand what they're actually talking about." I deadpan.

"Sorry about that, but you were left out, alone? Did you at least have a fun day?" She continues her questioning of me.

"Yeah, I enjoyed it." I smile, and so does Bonnie.

"I'm glad you did Finn. You need to try to enjoy your days more. No need to be such a moper." She says.

"Thanks for the advice sis, if you don't mind though, I'm going to bed."

"Not at all Finn. I guess this proves you can handle yourself. Or at least people aren't going to try to kidnap you every five seconds. As long as you're careful, I guess you can go out on your own. But tell me where you're going. I'll also be expecting hourly calls." She begins to list her rules, but before she can, I just pull her into a hug.

"Thanks for trusting me sis." I say, letting go and running off towards the castle. Bonnie shakes her head, though, and I swear she's muttering about how this is going to be a bad idea. She looks over at me though, and as I turn a corner I think I see a faint smile of 'what am I going to do with you?' on her face.

* * *

I lay down on my bed after taking a warm shower and putting on my pajamas, and look at the ceiling. I had forgotten to tell Bonnie about that number.

"Eh, it doesn't matter. He's just some psycho." I tell myself and with that self-assurance, I drift off to sleep.

* * *

And... That's it for the romance chapter! Hope you enjoyed. If the FinnxMarceline parts sucked, sorry. Not confident of my romance writing.

So Sid... is he crazy? Right? Both? Find out eventually. Some more drama is going to happen before that! Even a villain!

Band subplot is going to be swinging in full force next chapter. And a time skip again. And a whole heap of drama.

Buy your pitchforks, and find out what happens next time!


	4. Fearing Fear Pt 1

Remember those pitchforks I told you to buy? Put them down for another chapter or two (or not, depending on how mad you get at this chapter).

Thanks to all y'all reading though. Hope you enjoy.

I will say that this chapter is more of one that reveals parts of the past, so not super relevant for plot advancement. Unless you wanted some more fluff. So really, kind of both definitions for fluff (filler, and happy) for the most part. Heh.

Birthday Time!

I suppose that I should go ahead and mention that the Sweet versus Sour Kingdom plot is more of a parallel to taking over other countries of the same level in the same area, not to be seen as a barely veiled reference to different races. So pretty much nationality, not race. I assume this was fairly obvious, but if it wasn't, now you know.

And we're revealed why Marceline's banned from the Candy Kingdom! (Which was mentioned in "Fate of the Hopeless". Self Plug!). We're not revealed what type of genre Bittersweet is though. Blame my crappy lyric writing and disdain of using (most) real songs...

* * *

So... it has been almost three months since that wonderful day. So much had changed in the close to four months that I had been allowed to taste my dream.

I've become something of a legend now. Not only am I a prince and the last known human, I'm now a hero.

A drummer too, but it's not common knowledge. I suggested that I covered my face with some type of mask when we did form the band, and I still have to say it seems like the best plan. I still doubt that Bonnie would enjoy finally learning about one of my secrets. Any of them.

The mask is a rather strange one though, being mostly black, but going over each eye with a blue x, and where the mouth would be was a frown. One of Marcie's friends made it, and apparently it was meant to symbolize how I felt inside. I don't feel dead and/or sad, but it worked.

It also did make for at least a somewhat original gimmick. I was the mysterious and silent member of the band. Jake would usually divert attention away from me when they asked who I was.

All that anybody really knew about me was that I had blonde hair that when down past my shoulders and that my eyes were blue. I'd assume that that this wouldn't be much of a giveaway, and it apparently hadn't.

Tonight, though, we're going to perform an actual concert, not at some little pub or party.

Which has me a _little_ bit nervous. I've really never felt comfortable in front of large crowds. Bonnie's the one that always talks during the ceremonies, so it's still kind of the same as now, but I didn't have to worry about fans telling me to reveal myself. Like most of life's mysteries though, I'd prefer if I didn't show myself. That would ruin the fun. But still, even behind a mask this crud is nerve-wracking.

Marcie walks into my backstage room, and hops onto the couch I'm sitting on.

"What's up, kid?" She asks, laying her head down on my shoulder.

"I'm afraid I'm going to mess up, Marcie. This isn't some little get together of our most loyal fans. This is going to be huge, and it wont help when every other guy is going to be 'Take off your mask'. I just don't want to ruin this for you."

"Come on babe, don't be all mopey because of that. I'm having fun with you, and that's all that matters. Happy early birthday too."

"Thanks. Any chance you'll be able to make the party tomorrow?" Having been a few months since we got together, I'd be hoping that Bonnie would be more happy for me than anything else.

She sits up straight suddenly, and looks away.

"I suppose that it's time that I tell you why I never want to hang out with you in the Candy Kingdom, Finn. It's because... I'm banned from the place."

"What? Why?"

"You know how I'm a vampire and all that junk? I'm immortal. Back when your sister was a baby, I suppose I was a babysitter for her. Your mother took me in when I had nowhere else to go. One day though, Bonnibel got injured and... She was bleeding, bleeding whatever she bleeds... and I bit her. Well, I half bit her, really. Only one tooth sunk in."

She mutters something not understandable, and then continues.

"I don't even know what happens when you get half bit. She could have been stuck as a toddler forever. She hasn't of course, from all that I've seen, she's perfectly normal, but your mother didn't know at the time. She kicked me from the kingdom for possibly ruining her child's life. Seems kind of fitting that she'd probably feel the same way about this. All of it." She looks at me again, resigned to whatever I'm about to say.

"Well, if she didn't want us to be together, I wouldn't care. I'd still want to be with ya babe." I say, pulling her into a hug. "And I really want to you to be there. I don't care if Bonnie doesn't want you there, if she doesn't, I don't want to be there. Either everybody I know and love is going to be there, or I'm not." I tell her, and with that she seems to brighten up instantaneously.

"In fact, if you want, I'll personally take you to the castle." I add, and she smiles before giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"You're too nice, babe."

"One of my few fatal flaws." I chuckle.

"What, are the others?" She raises an eyebrow.

"If I were to reveal exactly what they were, I'd have to kill you to keep them a secret."

"Ha! Like you could kill me." She comments. I pout, and then cross my arms and look away. "Come on babe, we know who wears the pants in this relationship."

"Oh. That's why it felt cold down there. Glad to know I just didn't forget to put pants on today." I stand up and walk over to the table that I had placed my mask down on. I put it on and turn around, to have Marceline leaping at me with a mischievous grin on her face.

"One of these days, your smart ass mouth is going to get you in trouble. Today is that day!" She announces as she collides with me, knocking me down on my behind, and she begins a ruthless onslaught of tickling.

"St-stop it Ma-Marcie! You know how ticklish I am!" I gasp for my breath, but all she does is stop for a moment to take my mask back off.

"No need to hide your face from me, babe. 'Sides, I want to see you helplessly laugh." She giggles, but as she tosses away the mask, I turn the tides and roll on top of her, and begin tickling her.

"H-h-hey, stop that Finn, I'm the one who's supposed to be tickling, not you!" She tries to worm her way out, but I don't let her until I've given her until she begins to try to headbutt me.

As I stand up, I gloat. "Ha! Looks like we know who wears the tickling pants in this relationship, sweetie." I pick up my mask from the ground, and place it on my face once again. "I suppose that did help get rid of my anxiety."

"Good thing too babe. Wouldn't want you fainting in front of the crowd." She floats to me and pokes my mask. "I guess I should go get ready too. See ya' soon babe."

"See you soon!"

* * *

I take my place on the stage behind the curtains, Jake's wearing his usual rocker outfit, and has his hair in a mohawk. I'm wearing a black sleeveless shirt and blue jeans. We must look like we're supposed to be in completely different bands.

Marceline's wearing a black dress that looks wonderful to me, but honestly, I don't care what she's wearing. I feel that she's beautiful no matter what.

Our other members, three people who Marceline apparently was going to play with anyway and I still haven't really bothered to introduce myself to, are ready as well.

Glob, my heart is beating super fast. Going to have to hope that I don't screw up.

After a few moments, the curtains are pulled back, and the crowd cheers. Marcie walks to the front of the stage and lifts the microphone to her mouth.

"Hey Ooo, how's it going?!" She asks, and in response, the crowd cheers. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you, how's it going?!" The crowd explodes this time around and she smiles. "Good! Let's do this!"

With that, we begin our first song, and I quickly phase out the crowd, and begin playing.

* * *

And we're done. The crowd is still cheering for more but Marcie holds up her hand to stop the crowd, eventually they quiet down.

"I'm sorry, but that's it for the night. Except for this!" She walks over to me. "Let's all wish the kid an early birthday" She has that same damn mischievous smile on her face as before. Just like her to give me confidence and then embarrass me anyway.

The crowd cheers, and a growing number begins to yell that I should take off the mask as a present for them.

"Woah there guys, I said wish him a happy birthday, not beg him to rip off his face." She laughs, and then turns back towards me. "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear..." The crowd hushes to hear my name. Good Glob, some of these fans were like stalkers. "Kid, happy birthday to you!" The crowd collectively curses, but they all wish me a happy birthday.

"Thanks." I say... Then I realize I shouldn't have, even muffled by the mask, it was enough of a clue for some genius in the crowd.

"Hey, that's Prince Finn of the Candy Kingdom!" The fan, an elf, screams out.

"I knew it, that's why it's called Bittersweet! Called it!" A blue water thing chipped in with the usual 'I definitely called it!' bullshit.

"Well kid, I take it back. You aren't a smart ass. You're a dumb ass." Marceline comments after facepalming.

I take off my mask and shrug.

"Whoops." I stand up and look at Marcie. "Maybe you shouldn't have put me on the spot like that Marcie."

"You need to react better under pressure kid." She laughs, while I get flustered. "I was gonna bet that the secret lasted longer than one concert."

"Eh, it's just one. Do you the fans want to hear another?" I ask, and then grab Marcie in a shoulder hug.

"You wouldn't." She hisses. The crowd is in a frenzy now though. I look at her, and grin the same smile she had when she started singing happy birthday.

"Hey, I'm a dumb ass." I trail off for a moment, almost as if to stop talking, and she looks relieved. "But I'm _your_ dumb ass!" I say as I give her a smooch on the cheek, and then dive into the crowd to avoid her fury, and they carry me away from her.

I'm going to have such a stern talking too once I finally get backstage. And an even sterner talking too when I get home.

* * *

"What the fuck was that Finn? You wanted to reveal to the whole goddamn planet that we're dating?" Marceline is fuming as I finally get back to my room backstage.

"Well, in all honesty, the world would know tomorrow when we're seen together at my party. Of course, I would have kept it a secret if you didn't freaking make me talk!" I try to defend myself, but Marceline just floats towards me silently, stopping inches from my face.

"I didn't make you talk, you could have just pretended to be embarrassed back there!" She shoots back.

"Sorry that I have common courtesy, sweetie!" I doubt my logic is going to help me win this battle...

"Don't you sweetie me, Finn! You embarrassed me on stage." She throws her hands up in anger.

"Hey, I just repaid you embarrassing me by embarrassing you! I suppose you're ashamed of us?" Time to be illogical, if that helps to make her calm down at least. I pretend to be hurt, and she becomes confused.

"What? No... I just don't... think that that was the best way to reveal to everyone that we're an item." She sighs, and floats closer as if to kiss me, but shoves me down on my butt. "Bleh. I'll get over it. But next time Finn... think before you speak." She helps me up, and then begins to laugh.

"What's so funny?" I question.

"I'm going to get my sweet revenge embarrassing you. Someday, mark my words Finn! Mwahaha." She diabolically laughs.

"See, we're both crazy babe." I point out, and she giggles.

"Yeah." She agrees, and we kiss for a few moments. "We're both pretty chaotic." With that, we leave the building, and she has to lift me above the crowd at the exit.

* * *

I wake up from Jake's couch, and see that he is making pancakes.

"You had a missed call, might want to check it, bud." He has a grimace on his face, so he probably checked to see who it was, and that look meant it had to be Bonnie. This wont be good.

I flip open my phone and call her number, and as expected, get an ear full.

"How could you betray my trust like that, Finn? You joined a freaking band without telling me? Let's ignore the fact that crazed fans have killed performers. Let's ignore the fact that even if they didn't kill you, that the 'Rocker' business is deplorable at best, and wicked at worst!" She pauses for a breath. "The thing that makes me the maddest is that you were able to convince Jake to go along with the plan! Drag yourself down Finn, don't bring other good people down with you!"

"Drag down? Jake would be the one that dragged the other down! He convinced me to join, and compared to the monotonous life of the royalty of Ooo, I'd do anything deplorable! And to imply that I'd do anything wicked would be idiotic. Especially of someone as intelligent as you, Bonnie. Say that I'm stupid if you want, but I'm not a bad person." I shout back at Bonnie. Sometimes she acts like I'm a lost cause.

"Finn. We're not done here. Once you get home, we'll finish this." She hangs up suddenly, and I groan.

"Happy birthday to me." I mutter. I suppose that whatever she was going to add would be a rather long speech.

* * *

On the bright side of things though, Marcie seems to be in a better mood than last night, and while it was still cloudy and fairly hot, she is wearing a black hoodie, maybe to avoid the sun if it peaked out, probably for the other probable reason.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'll be there with you." I reassure her, and she smiles a sweet smile that says that she doesn't doubt that, but that she's still not going to enjoy this. "Don't be like that Marcie, I hate it when you're sad and quiet. Cheer up!" I poke her in her belly. "Don't make me tickle you again." A giggle escapes her, and she smiles, but remains silent. "Fine, if you want to be a grouchy pants."

"You're not usually the definition of Mr. Sunshine, either babe." She finally says.

"Yeah, yeah. But I don't get grumpy when I've been told already to just relax." I shrug, and as we begin our path down one of the few roads of Ooo, I appreciate the silence. Being able to think of things that Bonnie would probably say to me and come up with counterpoints is a good use of my time, but I'd appreciate a talking Marcie more than that.

"So sweetie, I know it's my birthday, and that you know a good chunk of my past already, but why don't you ever talk about yours?" I inquire, hoping a story or two about her fun times that she probably had would help pass the time.

"It's because it sucks. Nearly all of it, actually." She scoffs at the thought of thinking about it.

"There's got to be a few good moments!" I argue, but she shakes her head.

"None that come to my mind." She walks closer to me and puts her arm around me and pulls me closer to her. "You're probably the best thing that's happened to me. That sounds silly though..."

"Not at all, sweetie." I wrap my arm around her as well and smile. "You're a pretty pleasant surprise for my life, as well."

This silence is better than the last, this silence is one of happiness.

That is, until we get to the gates. Marceline looks at them, not moving.

I give her a hug that I hope will convince her beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am here for her.

The gates open, and we step in.

* * *

Bleh. Cliffhangers. I suppose this is a good as any place to cut off, considering this chapter would have been gigantic if I didn't separate it into two (Well, double sized at least.)

So yeah, Bubblegum could be part vampire or somethin'. That's cool, **_totally_** not going to have any relevance to the rest of the story.

And why did Finn use a mask and then lose it like half a chapter later? Because I think that that's better than saying that the first appearance of the band was at a concert to keep his identity secret so it isn't spoiled. So plot reasons.

And I'm really going to have fun with the chapter after next. You wont. Anyway though, until next time. Hope you enjoyed!


	5. Fearing Fear Pt 2

Not much to talk about...

...So thanks to all y'all who are reading.

(More) Back Story Time! I suppose this will be the point of the story where crap starts getting slightly less rainbows and sunshine.

'Nother one shot out too. So I wasn't totally unproductive in the past week or so. People seem to enjoy it, so check it out, I guess.

* * *

I had expected the candy people to have been like this. But not this bad. They shunned their children away from us, from her... which come to think of it, how did they have kids? ... Probably didn't want to think about it.

"Filthy beast. First you ruin our princess, and now you're trying to destroy our young prince's future." A candy corn calls out through her window, before pulling her window shutters shut.

"We are not like you. We are alive. We aren't an abomination like you." A chocolate bar calls out. Marcie isn't an abomination, though. She is as much of a being as anybody else.

I pull Marceline closer to me, and tell her to ignore their words. They'd have to understand eventually. They would see that in their hearts.

I hope.

As we walk the streets towards the castle, I slowly lose faith in that hope. This wasn't one or two people holding prejudices against the undead (Bonnie had told me once that if you scared a candy creature, that they would explode and die. Maybe this was a bit of way to avoid being unintentionally spooked? Did logical means provide for the support of prejudice ends?)

Had it been ingrained into the living to be spooked by the dead? If so, what mutation kept me from being afraid of Marceline?

I'm the exception to the rule, it seems.

I glance over to Marceline, and she's silently crying. Well crud, I had hoped that she would have blocked out the words they said. Ignoring heckles had been part of my life since I could remember. Those calls for dethroning me based on the fact that I wasn't exactly 'Candy'. Those that wanted me to disappear because they didn't want to have to fight for power if Bonnie ended up marrying their son.

"Honey... Don't worry about them. If they're too blind to see you're a radical babe, hell, if they wont even let you attempt to come here peacefully, they're the abomination." I place a kiss on the top of her hoodie covered head, and ignore the looks of hate that the action is getting from the crowd that had stopped to watch us. I suppose being royalty did warrant a crowd when appearing in public.

For Marceline's sake, I wish that I had been the poorest of the poor right now. She didn't deserve the embarrassment of an untrue assumption on her niceness.

I notice how some candy people aren't shying away, and they all seem to have a unifying characteristic, they were all what that guy would have said were people he ruled over. Sours. Whether this was on their own accord or due to pressure from their ex-ruler wasn't obvious. Whatever helped Marcie be happy, I'm fine with. Even if there's a political motif behind it.

A little sour patch child walks straight up to Marceline and asks her why she was covering her head with a hoodie.

"You wouldn't understand, child." Marcie replies to the girl, but the girl presses on.

"I don't know why my friends ran from you, you look pretty." Marcie smiles and rubs the kid's head.

"Like I said, you wouldn't understand." She repeats, but as we finally enter the castle, she's still smiling.

* * *

I'm stopped as soon as I enter the castle by Bonnie, and she leads Marcie and I to her room. Why would she want to talk with Marceline as well?

"Finn. You're finally old enough to know why I keep you so protected. Ignoring the logical advantages of keeping a prince alive, there's another reason." She paces back and forth, in front of vials of chemicals. "It's because if I ever decide against ...it... the candy people would have a leader that wouldn't cause them to blow up."

Bonnie pulls down her shirt's collar to reveal a bite mark.

"It?" Marcie and I both ask, and I have a bad feeling about this.

"Every year, I have to perform a demonic ritual to prevent myself from turning into a vampire. That ritual requires a sacrifice of a being. Usually it's someone dying already, but it's still something that's terrible. This is why I'm a scientist, I'm trying to find a cure. I don't want to have blood on my hands anymore. And what do you go and do?"

"Not much really?" I honestly say. There's not much that I've done that would be labeled very dangerous. Sure, I was dating an undead being, but aside from that...

"You endanger yourself to the same creature that almost ruined me. What would the Candy Kingdom do then?" She inquires in a rather loud 'whisper'.

"I wouldn't know. But she's not a 'creature'. She's just like me, just like you, just like Jake. She has feelings too, so please don't call her something she's not!" I reply with the same volume in my voice.

"You're picking someone you met like three months ago over your own sister? Did you trip and smack your head?" Bonnie is incredulous.

"If you were to provide proof that she was what you were saying, I'd believe you sister. I've known her for 'like three months' now, yes, but she hasn't done anything to warrant me to not trust her. To me at least, she's a wonderful person." I stand my ground, and Bonnie facepalms and groans.

"Look at me Finn. Don't do _anything_ stupid." She grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me a little. "Promise me."

"I promise, sheesh!" She looks relieved, but then turns to Marcie.

"If you do anything that could ruin this kingdom, I'll re-ban you." Marcie nods, but Bonnie continues. "And if you do anything to Finn, you'll be my own personal guinea pig to try to find the cure. It'll probably be really painful." Marcie nods once more, but looks hurt at the implication that she would do something like that.

"This wont be popular with the kingdom." She grumbles, and tells us to leave her room so that she could calm down.

* * *

Marcie and I arrive in the dining room where a large assortment of other Ooo royalty and a handful of people I could actually call my friends.

This had been how it was since I was a child, though. People who hung out with me likely because I was important. Not many I could truthfully call buddies. Who was here for me, and who here was for _me_?

There was Jake, Marcie, and possibly Lady on one side. The other was crowded by princesses wanting to try to get me to date them and eventually marry them, would it be because dad wanted some more power, or actually liking me.

This was probably a tad bit cynical of me, but considering that most of the 'dates' Bonnie had tried to set me up on seemed to be more interested in talking about their kingdom or mine than about themselves or asking about me.

"Hey Finn!" Jake calls out from across the room, and beckons for me to come over. Marcie and I walk over to him. "This is a radical birthday party man! You've got presents coming out of the wazoo!" He looks at a poorly wrapped present. "Sorry if my gift sucks, bro."

"It's the thought that counts, man." I tell him.

Jake offers to go get the two of us some punch, and while I offer to go to, he stretches his arms and grabs two cups, fills them, and then grabs them and shrinks his arms back.

"I keep forgetting your stretching powers. You should use them more."

"I don't know, I use them when I need them usually, not when I could. With great power comes great responsibility... I read that in a hero-ing book!" He comments. It sounds like a reasonable excuse to me.

"Whatever, man." Having some sort of power would be cool, but if Jake didn't want to use them whenever he could, it's his choice. Doesn't mean I have to like that choice.

* * *

Most of the presents were pretty boring, to me at least. Jake got me a book he said he found on the ground called 'The Enchiridion' or something. Marceline got me a pretty nifty watch. She said she had been holding on to it for a while, but I suspect she had used quite a good deal of money on it. It looked like a watch that from the really old times, before the war.

Lumpy Space Princess's... was horrifying. Something that was rather strange was the fact that most of the guests were actually nice to Marceline. Probably because she was royalty.

"Thank you all for the wonderful birthday!" I tell them, and they cheer for my happiness. The party was interesting, as all my birthdays usually were... at least a change of pace.

The majority of the people leave after my declaration that the party was over, but Marcie, and Jake stayed and we all decided to hang out on the castle roof. Well, Marcie wanted to, I was fine with it, and Jake just wanted to have some peace and quiet. Sensitive dog ears or something.

As we begin to walk towards the stairs, I excuse myself to the bathroom. Drank too much punch. Bright side about living in a castle was that there was always at least one bathroom open.

And as a rather wise planning move, whoever built the castle decided that the bathroom at least wasn't part candy or whatever. Thank Glob for that unnamed architect.

"Hey Finn, happy birthday!" A familiar voice says as he exits one of the stalls. It's Sid.

"How did you happen to get in here, Sid? And why are you here? I don't remember calling you." I tell him, and he chuckles as he washes his hands.

"I can't wish one of my benevolent leaders a happy birthday? No malice, I swear. Just another grateful citizen." He finishes washing his hands and dries them off. "I got in here because like I said, I'm a citizen of the Candy Kingdom. We were free to come here and wish you a happy birthday, were we not? It's not my fault that I was one of the few able to get in the castle."

"First you show up out of nowhere, now you show up inside my home, seemingly passing through the guards with little problem... That really doesn't make you any less suspicious." I comment, and again he just chuckles.

"It doesn't matter a damn bit if I'm suspicious. We both know the reason that you haven't had be arrested or sent to a mental asylum is because you secretly don't trust the Candy Kingdom as a whole. Or maybe it's just your sister." He shrugs, and throws the paper towel into the trashcan.

"I would never betray my sister." I growl.

"Maybe the reason is because you can't honestly one hundred percent believe that your sister would say the same." He walks past me, and out of the door.

* * *

"So Jake, tell us a little about yourself." I ask my best guy friend, as we all look out over the kingdom. Jake never really talked about his past, neither did Marcie for the matter, but Jake was extra secretive.

"You want my whole life story?" He asks, and Marcie and I both shrug.

"I don't have anywhere else to be." Marcie says, which I nod in agreement to.

"Well, my mom and dad died when I was pretty young. My dad was an adventurer and I thought that he was the coolest person ever. I still do too, but as a kid I wanted to be exactly like him. I got pretty janked up in my early adventures. I'll admit I'm not the brightest dog in the pack. Probably would have been best to have a rather smart guy along with me. Like you Finn."

"Hey, don't get down on yourself Jake, you're smart!" I argue, but Jake continues, either ignoring what I said, or pretending he didn't.

"Before I became an adventurer, I went to live with my brother Jermaine for a little bit. Jermaine's a radical guy, like you Finn. He got married to this poodle though, so I kind of didn't want to be a third wheel, and so I went back to my parent's house. From there, I began doing little heroic stuff. Helping old ladies cross the street, getting cats down from trees... I really, really, hated getting cats down from trees, but they appreciated it at least."

"Afterwards, I began to gain some notice in the hero-ing community. I guess I'm a pretty good good guy, because I was being asked to be guards to some pretty important people. That earned me enough to eventually send a wedding gift to Jermaine... well, that has nothing to do with the story, but I really felt poopy when I couldn't get them a gift for their wedding. I've eventually made enough to start-up a school for future heroes. I even got _the_ Billy to teach there. Just being able to spread good is my life's goal." Jake smiles. "Doing good makes me feel good, y'know?"

"That's pretty noble of ya', dog." Marcie comments, and I nod again.

"It's not noble, really. I just don't see a reason caring about money when we're all going to die one day... Well most of us, I suppose." He looks at Marcie and chuckles, with a hint of nervousness that hadn't completely disappeared from his opinion on Marcie. "Doing good for the world matters more than how much gold you have."

"Even if you aren't smart Jake, you're pretty wise."

"Thanks, Marceline. I still think it's just common sense though." Jake stands up and yawns. "I promised Lady I'd walk her home, and it's getting pretty dark. See ya' tomorrow Finn, and later Marceline!" He stretches his legs super long, and steps down onto the ground and then shrinks down to his original size.

"So Finn, what do you want to do with your life?" Marcie asks me once Jake is out of earshot, and lifts her head up from dangling over the edge of the building, and sits legs crossed, staring at me.

"Live it." I answer.

"Haha. I mean really, what do you want to do with your life."

"I suppose do what I want to do. I don't honestly know. I plan on enjoying each and every day like it could be my last. I guess the best answer would be is to enjoy it."

"And how do you plan to enjoy it?" She asks.

"Make some friends, real friends. Have some fun trips around Ooo. I guess I eventually do want settle down." I reply, and lean in closer to Marceline. "What do you want to do with your eternal life?"

"Kinda live it." I laugh. Then poke her.

"If I have to answer, you have to too!"

"Pssh, fine. I want to rock out, enjoy it... and watch over somebody who needs to be watched over." She mumbles the last part, and then stands up.

"Who?" I ask. Being mysterious wasn't going to keep me from finding out.

"You'd never expect it. So I suppose this will be an adventure for you, to find out who they are!" She sticks her tongue out at me before floating a couple of feet up in the air, just out of my reach.

"You're cool. It's probably someone stupid..." I grumble, crossing my arms and kicking the non existing dirt.

"Guess you can assume that, babe. Still wont tell you who." She floats close enough that I leap up towards her, but she flies back up.

"If I had flying powers, I'd totally tickle you again, sweetie."

"But that's the thing, you can't. Too bad, so sad." She sticks out her tongue again.

"Remind me why I'm going out with you again?" I ask, pretending to ignore her.

"Because I'm cool, hot, and super powerful?" She winks at me, and I scoff at her.

"Don't forget modest." I tell her, and she giggles.

"And modest, thanks for the reminder." Marcie descends down to the roof once more, and places a kiss on my cheek, but I still pretend to be mad.

"You're so freaking amazing, remind me why you're going out with me." I feign anger.

"You're kinda cool." She kisses me again, this time on the lips for a moment.

"It's not fair. I can't stay mad at you." I stomp my foot in fake anger, but smile.

"Duh, it's because I'm the chick! The boyfriend can't stay mad at the girlfriend, no matter how much of a bitch she's being." She states like it's obvious.

"What perks do I get being the boyfriend?" I ask, losing more of my 'anger' at Marcie.

"You get to have a girlfriend." She giggles.

"Yay." I sarcastically state.

Marcie's tummy rumbles, and she bids me farewell for the night, going to go make herself a red hued dinner... or breakfast, I guess.

Whether a joke or not, her joke did have some merit. I did enjoy Marcie. I also enjoyed my new friendship with Jake.

This birthday would symbolize a wonderful year for me, I'm sure of it.

* * *

I'll be the first to admit that this chapter isn't the best I've written. I rewrote the second half quite a few times, deleted what most people got Finn because that seemed so goddurn boring, got pretty burnt out writing this... and this was the best I could come up with that still seemed like a somewhat interesting and half well written chapter. Next chapter will be better, though!

Better as in interesting. Worse because more drama. *shakes fists at self* Until then, try to enjoy this chapter!

And speaking of next chapter, buy torches.


	6. Fade to the Blackness

So yeah, I suppose if the chapter's name isn't Fearing "Something that begins with F", it's going to be super serious. Or something.

I should also begin digging a hole. Saves you time burying me after this chapter.

Thanks for reading, hope you don't kill me!

I smudge canonical events more!

I give Bubblegum's mom a name (One that may or may not be a pun!). Finn might be psychotic (You'll have to be observant to see the mention!)

And yay for random profile picture until I eventually get a real one, now I don't feel faceless! Kind of sucks how it looks like I have a random story cover. Meh. Guess that it will be stupid like that until I get a real cover too!

* * *

After my birthday, not much had happened that would be noteworthy. That's all relative, seeing as in a day I had so much crud piled onto my plate, and all that had really happened in the past few days were the Ice King's usual attempts to capture Bonnie.

Something that was noteworthy, however, was today. Marceline wasn't answering her phone, which was getting me a bit worried.

I hurry to Jake's home, hoping that he could help me get to Marceline's cave home quicker. There's a pattern here that I'm missing...

"Jake!" I yell through the door, and for a few moments, I think that something has happened to him too. I hear feet shuffling on the floor inside though, so he was probably just sleeping... The look on his face when he answers the door confirms that hypothesis.

"What? I was sleepin' man! It's like..." He looks at his wristwatch "Eight! I'm sorry man, but I don't go to bed at nine at night, I need a smidgen of sleep too."

"Marceline hasn't answered her phone in like a whole day man!" I exclaim, which causes him to smack his head against the door.

"That's it? Maybe her phone's dead and she's away from home doing... you know." Jake dances around the 'issue' (to him at least) of Marceline eating.

"She wouldn't take a day, Jake. Something's seriously fishy about this! Marceline needs our help!" A raggedy clothed man stumbles out of the forest and looks at us.

"Did you say Marceline?" He asks, and looks up at the two of us.

"Yes... What does it matter to you though?" I ponder how he would care about that name if he was some hobo or whatever.

"Because I've been looking for somebody to help her! She put a sleep spell on herself!"

"How would you know that?" Jake asks the obvious question.

"I'm her guardian animal, duh!" He lets out a laugh that seemed to be almost stating that he thought it should be the most obvious thing ever.

"I dunno... but I guess we should go check it out." Jake mumbles, yawning before jumping down to the ground and growing large, letting me on his back... and then the raggedy man leaps on him right behind me.

"Who said you could come?" I ask.

"I'm her _guardian_ animal. If anybody has a right to go and check on her, it's me."

"She has a really annoying guardian animal." Jake grumbles as we rush to Marcie's house.

* * *

Neither Jake nor I were prepared for the 'guardian animal' to be correct. As we entered her house, she was laying on her couch, not moving, even after I try to gently shake her awake.

"Why did she do it?" Jake asks the 'guardian animal'. His being correct about Marcie being asleep, maybe he could shed some light on what was going through her mind.

"She was tired, seemed like she hadn't rested in months. Almost as if she didn't get to sleep much during the day like she used to." He observes.

Darn... I caused this?

"Is there any way we can help Marcie?" I beg the raggedy being.

"Well, I could... no, it's too dangerous." He waves off his idea with his leg.

"What?! Tell me!" I fall to my knees at his feet.

"Well, I could allow you to use some of this sleep powder that I have on yourself. You should be able to go to Marceline's memory core, and get rid of the memory of her putting the sleep spell on herself. If you fail, she'll stay asleep forever. Which is a long time!"

"Wait, how would removing a memory cancel out the spell?" I ask. He handwaves my question off.

"It's complicated, man. Now I'm going to put a spell on your... thing." He places a toe on my forehead, and according to Jake, a red dot appears.

If this was the only way to help Marcie...

Jake and I both use the sleep powder.

As we wake up, we are in a ruined city.

"Why would we be here?" Jake asks.

"I guess this is her earliest memory. Or at least the earliest one she hasn't forgotten yet. If not, it's random. Let's find Marcie."

And so we began our search.

* * *

We eventually stumble across the small child version of Marcie. Which is peculiar... I suppose that I always felt like that she was always like now.

This Marcie was in a dress covered in grime and almost completely barefoot.

"Hey... Marceline." I finally call out to the little girl.

She asks who it is, but is busy sewing an eye back onto a toy. Jake and I walk closer to her, and I kneel on one knee.

"Do you know where a thing called the memory core is?" I ask, she shakes her head as she finishes sewing.

"It might be through that cellar door. Those words are pretty similar."

"Thanks Marceline." I tell her, and Jake and I go through the door. This Marceline waves goodbye, and then moves Hambo's hand to wave goodbye.

Now we're in a more recent memory. This new Marceline looks a tad bit older, probably in her early teens.

A man who this Marceline calls daddy is eating some fries, which apparently makes Marceline mad.

"Why, daddy?" She asks.

"Come on dear, don't cry over cold fries. I don't see why you're even that attached to them." He responds, eating another fry.

"Because someone important gave them to me!" Anger rising in her voice, she stomps over to where he's sitting.

"Oh, a boyfriend gave them to you? Eh. All boys are evil."

"No, not a boyfriend. And that's hilarious coming from a demon." She grumbles, taking the fries back from her father.

"Kids. No respect these days." Her father wipes his mouth with a napkin, and the memory changes once more.

"I think we're getting closer, Jake." I announce to the dog as the memory slowly materializes.

* * *

As it materializes, Jake informs me the dot on my head had grown a bit and was glowing dimly.

"This is probably the last memory before we get there then." He deduces, looking around.

Unlike the drab and depressing atmosphere that surrounded the two previous memories, this memory was in the bright and cheerful Candy Kingdom. Aside from the fact that the coat of arms looked different.

I suppose this was before it became _the_ Candy Kingdom.

Marceline now looked like she always does.

"Marceline!" I call out, but she ignores me now. She seems sad. Sadder than she was even on my birthday. "Gees, I wonder what happened Jake."

We stumble away from Marceline and towards the castle that I would eventually call home.

We enter the inner sections of the castle, and eventually Jake has the idea to put on costumes in case people wondered why there was a dog and human here, which I agree to. We eventually come out of a costume room dressed up as doctors and make our way to the medical wing of the castle and find mother crying over Bonnie's apparently sleeping body.

"I'm sorry Queen Kaugummi, but there's nothing that we can do for her. We'll have to wait for the symptoms to appear, if she has them." A candy doctor tells mother, and as I and Jake stand back, listening to the man talk, I see that Bonnie has a bite mark on her neck.

"I've banished her. What now? The Sweet Kingdom relied upon the Vampire Kingdom for assistance. I required Marceline for help in raising my child to have a happy life, not one with some person who doesn't care about her raising her because I'm doing my royal duties. Now we're friendless and defenseless." She tells nobody in particular.

"If I might suggest, the Sour Kingdom has many resources that could help the Sweet Kingdom. And might I remind you that in the past, their leaders have proven to be hostile towards the Sweet Kingdom in the past." A chocolate bar replies to her rhetorical question.

"Coco, how could you suggest I betray the Sour Kingdom? The past doesn't matter. I know that right now, they have a wonderful woman as Queen. She's my best friend, for Glob's sake!"

"I'm just suggesting, your majesty. You should do what you think is in the best interest of the kingdom." 'Coco', as her name apparently was, defends herself, and looks at Bonnie. "And the princess might not _live_ through this without it."

Mother is silent.

And then, this memory begins to fade.

* * *

"So Finn, how were we able to leave Marceline's point of view back there, and know what happened?" Jake asks as we appear in a dark room that has a bunch of bubble like things on what appears to be a tree.

"I dunno man. Maybe multiple memories ran together? We can interact with the memories, so why does being able to adventure away from them shock you?" Worrying about logical inconsistencies would take forever.

We walk around, and my forehead begins to glow brighter and brighter, until we find the apparent memory. We both watch it.

Marceline is with a white-haired man. She is arguing with him.

"You did what?!" She screams.

"I sold that toy you loved so much! I got this cool wand!" The man chuckles and waves the wand around, with some magic sparkles coming out of the tip.

"WHY?!" She explodes in fury.

"Because witches value stuff that people value. Duh!" That voice seemed familiar. Whoever it was was pissing Marcie off a good deal.

"You're a psycho and ruin my life, Ash!" She picks up her axe-bass at him, and manages to catch a few strands of his hair as he ducks, trying to calm her down. "It's over, you psycho!"

The memory ends there, this was strange. Before I could comprehend exactly was happening, Jake and I wake up.

"Good job, kids! I knew you could do it... probably." The raggedy man pulls a nail out of the floor and pops the memory with it. Afterwards, he takes off his clothes... and underneath the disguise was 'Ash'. He pulls out that same wand from the memory and casts a spell that wakes Marcie up.

"Marcie! You're safe!" I hug her, but instead of hugging back, she blinks for a moment, looking between me and Ash. She shoves me off of her. I try to shake that off. "That wizard helped us save you!"

"Thanks kid. But he isn't a wizard, he's my boyfriend." She says.

To say that I'm devastated by those words would be an injustice to the pure horror that I felt when she said those final three words. What had Ash done to her? She leaves the room to make Ash a sandwich that he had asked for.

"W-what did you do?"

"It's simple, dummy. I had you get rid of her memory of our break up!" He prods me with a finger. He then throws me the leftover sleep powder. "Since you did such a good job doing my dirty work, you can have the rest of this powder. I don't need it anymore."

I seriously debate on throwing the powder in his face as well as mine, and then destroying all of his memories... But no, that's not a good thing to do. Well... good as in heroic. Would probably feel pretty darn good.

No, Marcie wouldn't know what happened, she'd think that I was a bad guy... I need to be strategic, I need to think before I act.

* * *

Eventually Marcie and Ash go back to his house... and I tell my plan to Jake.

"So here's what we do, you distract Ash, and I go in there and knock Marcie and I both out, then I show her my memory of her memory, got it?" He nods, and we part ways.

I happen to hear him bang on the shed behind Ash's home, and then something scream for help, then I hear Ash walk out and complain that the mood was being ruined... and then I enter the house through the chimney.

Marcie's floating above the couch, and seems surprised that I'm there.

"Woah kid, you better leave, Ash doesn't like me hanging out with mortals." No matter what she's saying, she seems conflicted.

"Fine. I'll leave. But look at this, Marcie." I whisper, and she floats over to me as I pull out the bag with the sleep powder.

"Why do you want me to look at some sleep pow-"

I hit the bottom of the bag up, and the powder pops up in a cloud.

For the second time that day, I fade into the blackness.

* * *

Marcie and eye both appear in the castle. The doors that line the hallway... I suppose these are meant to contain each of my memories.

I drag her along with me through the halls. She pulls away and tries to go through a door.

Inside is a five-year old me in a costume on a stage.

"What's this?" She asks, I blush as I walk to her.

"I was in a play as a kid. Truth be told, I have no idea what it was about." I shrug, and then yank her behind me, she needed to see that memory of a memory.

"You were a cute toddler, but why are we here?" She asks.

I find the memory, and open the door wide for her. As she watches it, she sits silently. She frowns.

"Finn." She says.

"Yes?" I ask.

"I want to wake up again now."

With that, we both wake up, me off the ground, and her from the air above me.

We walk to the backdoor, and Ash is exiting the woods.

"Hey babe, why is that kid here! Tell him to scram! Then can ya' make me a turkey sandwich with tomatoes and pickles. 'Kay?" He winks at Marceline, who then floats swiftly through the air and kicks him in the groin, causing him to fall to the ground. She then proceeds to kick him multiple times in the stomach and then the head.

I sit down on the back porch and watch her as Jake comes out of the woods, with what appears to be a small goblin biting on his ear. Jake flicks the goblin off of his ear with an enlarged hand. He sits down next to me and watches.

"Don't you want to beat him up too?" He asks, and I ponder this for a moment. I shrug though.

"I suppose I'm the maddest at somebody else. You can take a few kicks if you want." I wave him off.

I needed to talk to Marceline.

* * *

"Hey babe." She says as we enter her house, Jake had decided to go home after becoming a large foot and crushing Ash.

I sit on her couch and look at the ground. I wasn't going to like this.

"Marceline." I mumble to her, not looking up from the carpet.

"What is it babe?" She sounds concerned. That's peculiar.

"I... I think we need to break up." I still look at the ground, and she begins to scream.

"What, why?! We beat up Ash, everything's fine." She argues. I hold up a hand to her face to stop her from talking.

"No it's not. You didn't forget the time we've spent together when I got rid of the memory. You picked him over me." I look up, and she's crying now.

"I thought we were still dating!" She tried to convince me that what I knew happened was wrong.

"You _knew_ we were dating." I stand up and walk towards the door. She floats past me and blocks it. I try to avoid putting any of the emotions that _I_ was feeling into my voice now. "Please, let me through Marceline."

"Come on Finn!" She begs.

I don't say anything.

She begs some more.

I'm still silent.

"Fine then, I knew that you'd hurt me, everybody ends up hurting me!" She screams at me, tears flowing down her face freely. With those words a few tears begin to escape my eyes as well.

She moves out-of-the-way, and she lets me through the door, as soon as I was out of it, the door slammed shut.

I had broken her heart. This wasn't a cliché that I was using for the hell of it.

But it had to be done, she had chosen somebody else when it looked like there was a better option than me. I'm not going to be the backup plan.

As I finally climb into bed at home, I stare up at the ceiling.

I really, really, hope that I did the right thing. My brain is telling me yes, but my heart is in disagreement.

One of us blew it. The only thing that you could debate over was which one of us did.

I'm a seventeen year old prince, and I'm crying over a breakup. And I don't give a damn if anybody came in here right now and sees the tears.

As I blow out my candle that I had lit to get changed into my pajamas, I hear a sad voice singing.

I cover my head with my pillow, but it doesn't matter. I won't be sleeping tonight.

* * *

And now, time to leap into the hole I dug myself!

This is the first chapter based off almost completely of one real episode, if it's iffy in quality, I'll use that as the excuse.

So yeah... feel free to argue which one you think is wrong (I have a feeling that most are going to say Finn.), wont change anything though. You'll have to read more to figure out what happens.

I suppose first reader gets the honor of shoving me into my grave.

And happy Thanksgiving.


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